South Arishian
<< Back to Conlangs Nouns Definiteness Definiteness is marked with two prefixes as-''' in the singular and 'an-' in the plural. Indefiniteness is marked by the suffix '''-(y)â. Examples: *'lûpûç' "house" *'as-lûpûç' "the house" *'lûpûð-â' "a house" *'lûmpûð.ik' "houses" *'an-lûmpûð.ik' "the houses" *'lûmpûð.ik-â' "(some) houses" Number Plural form of nouns have an infix '-m-' and a suffix '-(i)k'. E.g.: *'lûpûç' "house" - lûmpûð.ik "houses" *'siwu' "animal" - simwu.k "animals" *'suyas' "aunt" - sumyas.ik "aunts" *'mayadû' "bank" - mamyadû.k "banks" *'lâbah' "hospital" - lâmbah.ik "hospitals" *'miwi' "knight" - mimwi.k "knights" *'wafârla' "arm" - wamfârla.k "arms" *'wuwi´a' "star" - wuwi´a.k "stars" Case The following endings are used: *Accusative: '-(u)w' *Dative: '-(t)an' *Genitive: '-(y)îs' *Locative: '-(k)ush' *Instrumental: '-(x)am' *Ablative: '-l(a)' These endings come before the indefinite ending: *Nominative: lûpûð-â "a house" *Accusative: '''lûpûð-uw-â "a house" *Dative: '''lûpûð-an-â "to a house" *Genitive: '''lûpûð-îs-â "of a house" *Locative: '''lûpûð-ush-â "in a house" *Instrumental: '''lûpûð-am-â "with a house" *Ablative: '''lûpûç-l-â "from a house" Gender Feminine is formed with the suffix '-(y)a'. It is used to distinguish gender in names of living beings (animals, professions &c.). E.g.: *'yahshasnân' "teacher" (man) - yahshasnân.a "teacher" (woman) - *'ahfufkaf' "(an animal like an) ox" - ahfufkaf.a "(an animal like a) cow" Plural is made from the original (masculine) noun: *'yahshasmnân.ik' "teachers" (men) - yahshamsnân.ik.a "teachers" (women) - *'ahfufmkaf.ik' "(animals like) oxen" - ahfufmkaf.ik.a "(animals like) cows" Case endings are applied after the feminine ending: *Sing.: **Accusative: yahshasnân.a-w **Dative: yahshasnân.a-tan **Genitive: yahshasnân.a-yîs **Locative: yahshasnân.a-kush **Instrumental: yahshasnân.a-xam **Ablative: yahshasnân.a-l *Plural: **Accusative: yahshasmnân.ik.a-w **Dative: yahshasmnân.ik.a-tan **Genitive: yahshasmnân.ik.a-yîs **Locative: yahshasmnân.ik.a-kush **Instrumental: yahshasmnân.ik.a-xam **Ablative: yahshasmnân.ik.a-l Examples *'nasparçif-â' "a hand" *'nasparmçif.ik-â' "hands" *'as-nasparçif' "the hand" *'an-nasparmçif.ik' "the hands" *'as-nasparçif-ush' "in the hand" *'an-nasparmçif.ik-ush' "in the hands" *'as-nasparçif-am' "with the hand" *'an-nasparmçif.ik-am' "with the hands" *'wânli-yâ' "a chief" *'wânmli.k-â' "chiefs" *'as-wânli' "the chief" *'an-wânmli.k' "the chiefs" *'as-wânli-yîs' "of the chief" *'an-wânmli.k-îs' "of the chiefs" *'as-wânli-tan' "to the chief" *'as-lûpûç-ush' "in the house" Adjectives Adjectives agree in definition with the nouns. Attributive adjectives come after the nouns. E.g.: *'wânli-yâ mahmuçnif-â' "a brave chief" *'wânmli.k-â mahmuçnif-â' "brave chiefs" *'as-wânli as-mahmuçnif' "the brave chief" *'an-wânmli.k an-mahmuçnif' "the brave chiefs" *'as-wânli-yîs as-mahmuçnif' "of the brave chief" *'an-wânmli.k-îs an-mahmuçnif' "of the brave chiefs" *'as-wânli-tan as-mahmuçnif' "to the brave chief" When used as nouns, adjectives have full nominal declension: *'mahmuçnif' "(a) brave one" *'mahmuçmnif.ik' "brave ones" *'as-mahmuçnif' "the brave one" *'an-mahmuçmnif.ik' "the brave ones" *'as-mahmuçnif-îs' "of the brave one" *'an-mahmuçmnif.ik-îs' "of the brave ones" *'as-mahmuçnif-an' "to the brave one" Comparison Comparative of superiority is made with the suffix '-sâh': *'mahmuçnif' "brave" - mahmuçnif-sâh "braver" *'wûðim' "good" - wûðim-sâh "better" Relative Superlative is made with the suffix '-mâx' and the definite prefix: *'mahmuçnif' "brave" - as-mahmuçnif-mâx "the bravest" *'wûðim' "good" - as-wûðim-mâx "the best" Absolute Superlative is made with the prefix bas-': *'mahmuçnif "brave" - bas-mahmuçnif "very brave" *'wûðim' "good" - bas-wûðim "very good" Pronouns Personal The first form given is the most common. Alternative forms are reductions or emphatic forms. 1st person singular: sîr, kuk 2nd person singular: yâwa(n) 3rd person sing. m.: laya(n) 3rd person sing. f.: fâyû(n) 1st person plural: wura, ma´a 2nd person plural: çamûm 3rd person pl. m.: lâhtûm 3rd person pl. f.: tuhtûm Possessive Possessive pronouns consist of a prefix and a suffix, that are added to the definite form of the noun. *1st person singular: s-'/'''k-'...k/suk/s' *2nd person singular: '''d-'...d/yad/y *3rd person sing. m.: l-'''...lal' *3rd person sing. f.: '''f-'...faf *1st person plural: m-'''...mam' *2nd person plural: 'ç-'...'çuç' *3rd person pl.: '''t-'...tût Examples: *'s.as-lûpûç-us' / s.as-lûpûç-kus / s.as-lûpûç-kuk / s.as-lûpûç-ku / s.as-lûpûç-uk / k-as-lûpûç-us / k-as-lûpûç-kus / k-as-lûpûç-kuk / k-as-lûpûç-ku / k-as-lûpûç-uk "my house" *'d.as-lûpûç-day' / d.as-lûpûç-ay / d.as-lûpûç-da / d.as-lûpûç-yay / d.as-lûpûç-ad / d.as-lûpûç-ya "your house" *'t.an-lûmpûc.ik-tat' / t.an-lûmpûc.ik-ta / t.an-lûmpûc.ik-at"their houses" Case endings come after possessive suffixes: *'k.as-lûpûç-ak.ush' "in my house" *'d.as-lûpûç-ad.îs' "from/of your house" *'k.an-nasparmçif.ik-us.am' "with my hands" Sometimes the genitive form of the personal pronouns is used together with these affixes: *'kuk-îs k.as-lûpûç-uk' "my house" *'yâwan-îs d.as-lûpûç-uy' "your house" Numbers Cardinal *0: lani *1: ´içâna *2: lawa *3: yâyamam *4: nûsxirdîr *5: nuhgiçnû *6: furdifsâs *7: falla *8: muxûf *9: luyam *10: yasunçûç *11: yasiçâna´un *12: yaslawa´un *13: yasyâyamamun *14: yasnûsxirdîrun *15: yasnuhgiçnûn *16: yasfurdifsâsun *17: yasfala´un *18: yasmuxûfun *19: yasluyamun *20: yaduçî *30: tufsûnnân *40: nûçâhkîr *50: numâhpar *60: wumaryuç *70: fahgâhan *80: kuswihçûç *90: duyafshû *100: sahtâmnûh, ´ifançih *200: lawa-sahtâmnûh, lawa-´ifançih *1000: yâhtarçir *1234: yâhtarçir lawa-sahtâmnûh tufsûnnân nûsxirdîr Ordinal Ordinal numbers are built with the ending '-(y)îc': *1st: ´icâniyîc *2nd: lawayîc *3rd: yâyamamîc *4th: nûsxirdîrîc *5th: nuhgicnûyîc &c. Verbs Concepts Arishian verbs show a number of derivational forms that express notions like transitivity, cause, passiveness and other ideas conceived in English by means of modal verbs. There are no auxiliary verbs or periphrastic constructions, all verbal expressions are made up with a single word. Infixes are used to create derivational roots. Aspect is indicated by means of infixes, prefixes or root alteration (mutation). Time is indicated by means of suffixes. Indication of person is rather complex. It depends on verb transitivity and on the existance and nature of direct objects. Derivation A verb root may have the following derivational stems: *'''-in-': Transitiveness. Changes an intransitive verb to a transitive one. Ex.: '''lufwis' "lie down", lufinwis "lay (something) down" *'ash-': Passiveness. Changes an active to a passive verb. Ex.: fa´huyrû´ "see", ashfi´huyrû´ "be seen" *'''-al-': Repetition. Indicates that the action is repeated several times. Ex.: '''fâwî' "shout", fâwalî "shout (repeatedly)" *'''-at-': Causative. Changes a normal verb to a causative verb. Ex.: '''fa´huyrû´' "see", fa´hatuyrû´ "show" *'''-ak-''' (after the first consonant): Potentiality. Indicates ability ("can"). Ex.: fa´huyrû´ "see", faka´huyrû´ "be able to see", faka´hatuyrû´ "be able to show" *'''-ur-''' (before the last vowel): Obligation. Like English "must", "should". Ex.: lufwis "lie down", lufwuris "must lie down", fa´huyrurû´ "must see", fa´hatuyrurû´ "must show" *'''-yay-': Volitive. Translated by "want", "wish". Syllable structure is altered in most verbs. Ex.: '''fa´huyrû´' "see", fa´hyayuyrû "want to see", *Intensive: indicated by means of a repetition of a consonant or a whole syllable of the root. Ex.: fâwî "shout", fâwâwî "shout (many times or with great strength)" *'''-âni': Limitative. Indicates that the action is executed in a limited or tentative way. Root is generally shortened. Ex.: '''fa´huyrû´' "see", fahruwâni "try to see", "take a look" Aspect The aspects indicated in an Arish verb are the following: *'a-...-a': Aorist. Internal vowels are generally lost. Ex.: lufwis "lie down", aor. alfwisa; lufinwis "lay (something) down", aor. alfinwisa *'i-...-da-...': Perfective. Ex.: lufwis "lie down", perf. ildafwis *'kas-': Inchoative. Ex.: mîwu "speak", kasmîwu "start to speak" Time Present time is not marked. Past and future are indicated as follows: *'''-ax': Near (pragmatical) Past. *'-û(w): Remote (narrative) Past. *-wam': Future. Person Intransitive Verbs Subject for intransitive verbs is indicated by means of suffixes. *1st person singular: '-(y)as''' *2nd person singular: '-di(y)' *3rd person sing. m.: '-(y)al' *3rd person sing. f.: '-(y)af' *1st person plural: '-(y)im' *2nd person plural: '-(y)ib' *3rd person pl. m.: '-(y)il' *3rd person pl. f.: '-(y)it' Transitive Verbs For Transitive verbs, the subject is indicated by means of a prefix, while direct ocbjects are indicated by meas of suffixes. Subject *1st person singular: k(a)-''' *2nd person singular: 'd(a)-' *3rd person sing. m.: 'l(a)-' *3rd person sing. f.: 'f(a)-' *1st person plural: 'm(i)-' *2nd person plural: 'ç(i)-' *3rd person pl. m.: 'l(i)-' *3rd person pl. f.: 't(i)-' Direct Object *1st person singular: '''-(u)k *2nd person singular: '-(u)d' *3rd person sing. m.: '-(u)l' *3rd person sing. f.: '-(u)f' *1st person plural: '-(u)m' *2nd person plural: '-(u)b' *3rd person pl. m.: '-(u)l' *3rd person pl. f.: '-(u)t' Examples fa´huyrû´ "see" Intransitive Present Tense *1st person singular: fa´huyrû´as *2nd person singular: fa´huyrû´diy *3rd person sing. m.: fa´huyrû´al *3rd person sing. f.: fa´huyrû´af *1st person plural: fa´huyrû´im *2nd person plural: fa´huyrû´ib *3rd person pl. m.: fa´huyrû´il *3rd person pl. f.: fa´huyrû´it Aorist Past Tense *1st person singular: afhuyru´ûwas *2nd person singular: afhuyru´ûwdiy *3rd person sing. m.: afhuyru´ûwal *3rd person sing. f.: afhuyru´ûwaf *1st person plural: afhuyru´ûwim *2nd person plural: afhuyru´ûwib *3rd person pl. m.: afhuyru´ûwil *3rd person pl. f.: afhuyru´ûwit Perfect Past Tense *1st person singular: ifda´ihrû´axas *2nd person singular: ifda´ihrû´axdiy *3rd person sing. m.: ifda´ihrû´axal *3rd person sing. f.: ifda´ihrû´axaf *1st person plural: ifda´ihrû´axim *2nd person plural: ifda´ihrû´axib *3rd person pl. m.: ifda´ihrû´axil *3rd person pl. f.: ifda´ihrû´axit Future Tense *1st person singular: fa´huyrû´wamas *2nd person singular: fa´huyrû´wamay *3rd person sing. m.: fa´huyrû´wamal *3rd person sing. f.: fa´huyrû´wamaf *1st person plural: fa´huyrû´wamim *2nd person plural: fa´huyrû´wamib *3rd person pl. m.: fa´huyrû´wamil *3rd person pl. f.: fa´huyrû´wamit Transitive Present Tense *1st person singular: kafa´huyrû´(ul) *2nd person singular: yafa´huyrû´(ul) *3rd person sing. m.: lafa´huyrû´(ul) *3rd person sing. f.: fafa´huyrû´(ul) *1st person plural: mifa´huyrû´(ul) *2nd person plural: çifa´huyrû´(ul) *3rd person pl. m.: lifa´huyrû´(ul) *3rd person pl. f.: tifa´huyrû´(ul) Aorist Past Tense *1st person singular: kafhuyru´ûw(ul) *2nd person singular: yafhuyru´ûw(ul) *3rd person sing. m.: lafhuyru´ûw(ul) *3rd person sing. f.: fafhuyru´ûw(ul) *1st person plural: mafhuyru´ûw(ul) *2nd person plural: çafhuyru´ûw(ul) *3rd person pl. m.: lafhuyru´ûw(ul) *3rd person pl. f.: tafhuyru´ûw(ul) Perfect Past Tense *1st person singular: kifda´ihrû´ax(ul) *2nd person singular: yifda´ihrû´ax(ul) *3rd person sing. m.: lifda´ihrû´ax(ul) *3rd person sing. f.: fifda´ihrû´ax(ul) *1st person plural: mifda´ihrû´ax(ul) *2nd person plural: çifda´ihrû´ax(ul) *3rd person pl. m.: lifda´ihrû´ax(ul) *3rd person pl. f.: tifda´ihrû´ax(ul) Future Tense *1st person singular: kafa´huyrû´wam *2nd person singular: yafa´huyrû´wam *3rd person sing. m.: lafa´huyrû´wam *3rd person sing. f.: fafa´huyrû´wam *1st person plural: mifa´huyrû´wam *2nd person plural: çifa´huyrû´wam *3rd person pl. m.: lifa´huyrû´wam *3rd person pl. f.: tifa´huyrû´wam Sample *'An-çinlumçû.k an-madu imdashupu-l nafgimrû, gurkûçdûn-ush wi huswismnâç.ik-ush. Lâhtûm igawardashaf-il dîwar-ush wi wûsdâç-ush, wi bûnuduran-il an-´uhgamya.k-an 'îfsûçkan-ush-â shâçinu-yîs.' **("All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.")